Carlisle & District Rambling & Fellwalking Club

Walk & Event Reports

Sunday 15th May 2016

A Walk

Blake Rigg - Pike O Blisco

6 Miles Grade 2

Leader: David Bulman

Report by Peter Flynn

Photos by Lauren Sarasini & Peter Flynn

David Bulman’s walks always present a challenge,  and it’s never straightforward.  Today’s was right at the start – parking!  The Old Dungeon Ghyll was crammed to the ginnels – the only space left was up the trees and there were dire warnings about not parking by the side of the road.  We had to travel on towards Little Langdale before we found a space.  The day was lovely – a 2 minute suggestion of rain as we set off,  but this soon gave way to beautiful sunshine which remained with us more or less the whole way.  We started off on the steep slope that eventually brought us to the crossroads – the Crinkles and Bowfell to the right and Pike O’Blisco to the left.  Beyond was the beautiful Red Tarn which was,  apparently,  created as a result of lead mining in the area.  We had three relative newcomers today – Jenny on her second A walk,   Susan on her second and Afsah (I trust I have that more or less correct) on her first.  It was great to have the new additions to the ranks and I trust you will all enjoy many happy hours wandering the fells (lost,  cold and hungry?) like ourselves.  The climb from the tarn up to the summit (at 2313ft) was lovely – excellent path and quite a rough scramble to reach the summit.  Here we had lunch with the stunning views of all the Langdale Fells,  and it was brightened by a delightful narrative from Jenny.  She and a friend were climbing up to High St fairly recently and were approached by a couple who were probably Japanese.  They asked the way to High St.;  Jenny said she would point it out,  but they insisted on it being pointed out on their map.  Fine she said,  and they produced a tea towel with a map of the Lake District printed on it!!  That’s where we’ve all been going wrong,  using these rubbish O.S. maps when the real stuff is on cotton.  (“Left by the red wine stain,  carry straight on to the heart shaped grease mark,  slightly right………)   We descended via Blake Rigg where we all – apart from Lauren who thinks we are having her on – saw a large red and very healthy looking fox dart out onto the open fell side and disappear to the East.  The walk finished with tea,  beer,  wine etc. and cakes for the hungry at the O.D.G. hotel.  A delightful walk,  many thanks David for excellent navigation and a superb route.

Peter